


iron will

by VexedVixen



Category: Dead by Daylight (Video Game)
Genre: Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff and Angst, Is this angst, M/M, did i just write angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-25
Updated: 2020-08-25
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:47:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26095831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VexedVixen/pseuds/VexedVixen
Summary: Jake hated screaming.Most of all, he hated hearing Dwight scream.
Relationships: Dwight Fairfield/Jake Park
Comments: 4
Kudos: 78





	iron will

**Author's Note:**

> started this like 6 months ago or something? finally finishing it now. enjoy!

Jake hated screaming.

He hated how loud people could be, how much attention it drew. How if someone screamed too much it could burn their throat raw until the scream became nothing but a weak cry. Jake hated what screaming meant. It meant awful things here in the Entity’s realm. Sure, there were whoops of joy or cries of pleasure and those were not bad, but those kinds of screams were seldom found here. Jake hated it.

He hated it so much he did his best to never scream, especially in trials. When he was injured, Jake did his best to stay quiet. It was not entirely possible to never scream in a trial, but with a will of iron, he did the best out of all the other survivors somehow. Even then, that brought him little peace. Hearing his friends’ screaming in horror and crying in agony was just as bad. Hearing someone you care about screaming and screeching when there is absolutely nothing you can do about it is awful. Jake hated it.

Jake hated hearing Claudette whimpering in pain after being stabbed. He hated hearing Meg scream after being caught in a trap. He hated hearing Nea yelp after being grabbed. He hated hearing David yell after being hooked. Most of all, Jake hated hearing Dwight scream. God, his screaming. Every time he was stabbed, slashed, hooked, hurt, or killed Dwight screamed. And every time he sounded so surprised. A sudden yelp, a screech of shock and horror. As if every time it surprised him that someone could want to harm like that, even though he had been through so many trials and been in the Entity’s realm so long. It was so hard to hear someone you cared about so much scream like that. Jake hated it.

And lately, Jake felt like he had been hearing it more and more. Every trial he had with Dwight he was screaming so much, dying so much. It probably was due to Dwight throwing himself into danger so often. Always to help or take a hit for one of friends, of course, but Jake still hated it.

They were at Dead Dawg Saloon and Yui had already been sacrificed. Jake had been trying to get one of the last generators in the street finished. Feng had been trying to finish the one on top of the nearby saloon. She had been not so subtly taunting the Deathslinger from up there, which was dangerous considering both she and him were injured. Not only that, but a well-aimed hit could end badly for her. The Deathslinger was currently in the building, searching for Feng. Jake was trying to finish his generator before the killer got tired of searching for the her. He almost finished it, too, but then the Deathslinger returned from an angle he was not expecting. Not from the saloon but straight down the street itself.

The Deathslinger took aim as he approached the generator and Jake ducked. The shot missed. As the killer reloaded, Jake looked back and forth between the saloon and the generator. If he stayed by the generator he would probably go down quickly. If he made a break for the saloon, he could get more cover but risked being out in the open and being shot. Figuring it was the best option, Jake made a break for the building. The Deathslinger aimed at him again and shot. A spear pierced Jake in the chest and he grunted. He grabbed the spear, tried to wrench it out of his chest, but as usual, the Deathslinger was reeling him in fast. Then, out of nowhere, not Feng but Dwight burst out of the saloon. Ran straight to Jake and the Deathslinger without any hesitation. As Jake was reeled closer and closer, Dwight pushed his way in front of his friend. When the Deathslinger raised his spear gun to ram it into Jake, it hit Dwight instead. Dwight screamed just as the spear lost its hold on Jake. They both ran, scrambled in opposite directions as the Deathslinger reloaded. Angered at Dwight for stopping him from downing Jake, the Deathslinger turned to chase after him. Jake ran for the saloon, where he eventually found Feng upstairs on the generator.

She gave him a med-kit. “Patch yourself up,” Feng instructed as she went back to the generator. Her own wound was sloppily staunched and a slow drip of blood leaked below her bandages and down her abdomen.

Jake took some gauze out to wrap his chest. “There won’t be enough left for both of us.”

Feng shook her head. “I just want to finish the last gen so we can get out,” she said. “Otherwise Dwight’s sacrifice will be for nothing.”

“He’s on last hook?” Jake had not even realized it.

Feng nodded. “Head for the door on the other side of the saloon. I can finish the gen.”

Jake finished his own terrible wrap job before heading down the stairs and to a nearby door. Just as he reached the door, the last generator blared. As Jake started to open the exit gate, another scream from Dwight echoed in the distance. The Deathslinger got him. Jake grimaced as the door finished opening. Feng hobbled down from the top of the saloon and to the door with a grimace of her own. Then there was a second scream as Dwight was hooked for the final time. Jake turned to glare in the direction of the dying cry. Feng walked past him but stopped once she realized Jake was not following.

She grabbed his arm with a shake of her head. “Come on,” Feng just said as she pulled him through the gates. They both escaped and Jake felt awful about it.

“It was nothing,” Dwight later told Jake when he asked about it. “I figured I might be able to run him for the last gen a little longer since you were injured and on death hook.”

Jake hated that wail.

Then, there was the trial against the Hag at the Ironworks of Misery. They had the generators finished and the doors ready to be opened, but Jake was on the hook. It was his first hook and no one was willing to leave without trying to free him. Nea and Dwight were creeping closer after the Hag finally left after laying a final phantasm trap. Quentin was nowhere to be seen and was hopefully either about to distract the Hag or opening one of the doors and readying for the escape attempt.As Dwight and Nea got closer, Jake pointed to the three traps the Hag placed.

Dwight and Nea stopped, glancing at each other. Nea shook her head at Dwight, but he just nodded back. Nea held back a huff and nodded once back. Dwight backed away from the hook. When he was far away enough, Dwight stood up, purposely activating the trap farthest away from the hook. Dwight yelped in surprise as the Hag came back in an instant, more than ready. Too slow to react, he was slashed across the chest. Dwight cried out and stumbled back. Then, he turned and ran in the opposite direction of the hook with the Hag close behind.

Nea waited a few moments before approaching the hook, still crouched. She pulled Jake off the hook before crouching down again. Jake copied her. She crept away and he followed, albeit slower. When they were far away enough from the hook and the traps, they stood up.

“Come on,” Nea whispered, immediately going to let Jake lean on her. “Quentin’s got a door open over here.”

“What about Dwight?”

“He’s running the Hag somewhere away from us,” Nea told him, as if he did not just watch Dwight get chased away from the hook by the killer. “He knows which door we have open. Maybe Quentin’s even gone to help him.”

Quentin had not, unfortunately. He was waiting at the door. He had a med-kit on hand, which he started to open as soon as he saw Jake. Quentin immediately started to wrap the wound on Jake’s chest. “Dwight’s not with you,” he said and sighed. It should have been a question but he already knew.

Nea shook her head.

They all heard Dwight shriek in the distance.

“Guess he’s there,” she said and sighed herself. She started to help Quentin.

“No,” Jake told her. “Go get Dwight.”

“He’s dead,” Quentin mumbled.

“What?”

Quentin just shook his head. When him and Nea finished healing Jake, Quentin went over to the door to open it. “Let’s go.”

They filed out. Jake did not leave soon enough and heard Dwight scream the second time as he was impaled by a hook.

“It was his idea,” Nea later told him when Jake asked about it. “Dwight said he could trigger a trap to get her away from the hook. I tried to talk him out of it before we went for you.” She shrugged. “Close but no cigar. Sorry.”

Jake just wished he had not heard that scream.

And then the trial with the Nurse.

They were two for two right now. David and Zarina were both dead but only two generators were left. The twisting and turning hallways of the Gideon Meat Plant did little to slow down the Nurse, though. She was a very precise killer and Jake was surprised he managed to give her the slip at all. Especially with a bleeding shoulder. He hoped she would continue to search the lower floor as he made his way up the stairs. When he heard the sound of a generator being worked on, Jake perked up and headed for it immediately.

“Jake,” Dwight whispered when he noticed the other making his way over.

Jake leaned against the generator as soon as he made it over. He managed not to groan. “This one’s almost done, thank god,” he muttered. “I’ve got one downstairs about halfway through.”

“You can’t stay here,” Dwight told him urgently. “She keeps coming back and checking it. I’ve been working on it forever.”

Jake nodded. “She’s downstairs near mine right now, but I’ll go back down there and wait for her to leave.”

Dwight winced as he looked at Jake’s wound. “No, I mean I don’t have a med-kit for your shoulder. And you shouldn’t go back to your gen, either.”

“I can’t sit around doing nothing, Dwight.”

“No,” Dwight agreed as he reached into his pocket. He pulled out a key and showed it to Jake. “But you can-”

There was a blink and a shriek. The Nurse was coming.

Dwight shoved the key into Jake’s hands. “No but you can take this. The hatch is downstairs. In front of the bathroom, I think.”

Jake furrowed his brow at the key. “We can both make it through the hatch.”

The heartbeat was growing in their ears.

“I know, but you’re hurt and she’s coming,” Dwight hurriedly explained. “I’ll lead her away and try and meet you there.”

Another shriek. The Nurse was closer.

“If I go down, don’t wait up for me, okay?”

“What, no, we can-”

The Nurse was so fast. She blinked around a corner, spotting the two survivors. With one more blink, she was next to them. Dwight pushed Jake back and was cut across the chest with a bone saw. “Jake, go!” he screamed as he stumbled away.

Jake tore off in the opposite direction, looking for some stairs. With the Nurse following Dwight, he found some easily. He ran for the bathroom downstairs. He found the hatch at the same time he heard Dwight yelp in the distance as he was downed. Jake looked at the hatch before heading in the direction he heard Dwight. No way in hell he was leaving without Dwight this time. They could both make it out, especially when they knew where the hatch was and had a key. Jake may have been on the lower floor, but just above him he could hear the sounds of Dwight struggling against the Nurse. She hooked him at the top of some stairs. Perfect, Jake could grab him and they could make a break for it back downstairs and to the hatch.

But then, Jake heard Dwight cry out and the awful sounds of him being impaled by the Entity. He had let go and allowed himself to be killed by the Entity. Now Jake wanted to scream. Instead, he turned around and ran back for the hatch. It was open and waiting for him. He did not even need the key now. Jake jumped down into the blackness of the hatch and it closed after him. The trial ended. His wounds healed and his clothes mended as he started down the dark hallway of the hatch. It took some walking down the near pitch-black hallway of the hatch before a light appeared at the end. And then the smoke started to billow from the light.

Jake materialized back at the campfire in a swirl of smoke, walking. It took only a few steps to reach the other survivors around the campfire.

“Oh, make it through the hatch, Jake?” Claudette asked as he reappeared.

“Huh? Oh, yeah,” he responded absentmindedly, looking around the campfire. “Where’s Dwight?”

“Over there with Bill.” Claudette pointed to the other side of the fire.

“Great, thanks,” Jake said and immediately went over.

Dwight perked up when he noticed Jake heading over. “Jake, you make it out alright?”

“Yeah, I did,” Jake said but did not sound happy by the fact that he escaped. He put a hand on Dwight’s shoulder to steer him away from Bill. “I need to talk to you. Right now.”

“ _Ooohhh_ ,” Meg gasped with a grin. “Someone’s in trouble!”

Dwight rolled his eyes at her, but nodded at Jake and followed him away from the campfire.

“Don’t be too hard on Dwight,” Bill called after Jake from his place next to Meg. “We might need him later.”

Jake said nothing in response, but Dwight nonchalantly waved back at them. The two stopped once they were sure they were far away enough from the campfire, where they could not be seen or heard. “Is everything okay, Jake?” Dwight asked, concerned.

“No.”

He paused at beat and Dwight waited another moment before asking, “Do you feel okay?”

“Yeah, I feel fine. It’s not about me.”

Dwight looked at the other, noticing his frustrated frown and narrowed eyes. “Are you upset?”

“Yes.”

Already having a good idea what Jake was upset about, Dwight sighed before asking, “Are you upset with me?”

Jake looked a little guilty, but did nod once in response.

“About the trial, I take it?”

“Yes- I mean, no,” Jake said and then stopped. He screwed his face up in thought and then added, “Well, yes and no. It’s about multiple trials, actually.”

Now Dwight looked confused. “Multiple?”

“How many trials have you escaped this week, Dwight?” Time was strange in the Entity’s realm, really. They had no solid grasp on time, with no sun and only the moon (save for one realm, but it was always sunset there). Their best guess at days or weeks had to be with the changing phases of the moon.

“A couple of times,” Dwight replied, still confused.

“A couple of times,” Jake repeated, unimpressed. “All week?”

“I guess…”

“Dwight, we go through, like, twelve trials a day,” Jake went on. “And all week, you’ve only escaped about four of them.”

“It’s been a rough week,” Dwight defended himself weakly.

Jake held up his hands. “I’m not upset about you doing poorly or anything. I never even said you performed poorly,” he explained. “I-I’m upset you keep dying like that.”

Dwight looked a little relieved and even smiled a bit. “Oh, I’m upset about dying so much too, believe me.”

“Then why do you keep throwing yourself in front of killers?” Jake finally snapped.

Dwight jumped a little, surprised at Jake’s outburst. “What?”

“Every trial you’ve been in with me this week, you’ve died,” Jake pointed out. “You dove in front of knives for me so many times this week, it’s crazy. I mean, I appreciate it, but…”

Dwight looked away briefly before replying, “I-I dive in front of knives, chainsaws, clubs, and any other weapons the killers have. For all of you, all the time. I’m just protecting you and the others.” He lifted a hand to bite his nails, but stopped himself. Dwight moved the hand to his arm instead to rub it, almost guiltily. “I know trials don’t always go well and sometimes sacrifices need to made to ensure the most of us get out. It’s going to happen and I-I don’t mind being that sacrifice.”

“Well, I do!” Jake snapped again.

Dwight jumped a little at that, but relaxed and smiled a moment later. “Thanks, that means a lot. Also means I’m doing the right thing.”

“No, it doesn’t,” Jake said flatly. “It just means you’ve been hanging around David too much.”

Dwight laughed at that. “Maybe.”

“Yeah,” Jake huffed. “You’re just a lot more reckless and uncoordinated than him.”

Dwight’s grin did not disappear. “Well, I do try. Like I said, if it means one of more of you gets out, I’m fine with it.”

“Well, I’m not,” Jake said, now glaring. “Do you hear yourself? It sounds like you’re giving up. You could have made it out of that last trial. The last two gens were nearly done and you had only been hooked once. You had a key, too! I think you threw the towel in a little too soon.”

Dwight winced, the smile now vanishing. “Jake, you know how the Nurse can be… Even with that many gens done and a key, she can turn a trial like that around easily. I figured it was better to be safe than sorry.” He rubbed at his arm again, guilt returning. “I-I’m sorry. I didn’t realize doing that would upset you so much.”

Jake’s own glare dropped and he ran a hand through his hair. “Of course it upsets me,” he said, suddenly feeling very tired. “It always upsets me when I have to see one of you die and give up your life for me. It always does, for everyone, but…” Jake trialed off with a frustrated sigh. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his green jacket and could not help but hunch his shoulders. “God, I hate hearing you scream.”

Dwight’s face fell even more. “I know, I know. I hate it too and-”

“No, I hate hearing _you_ scream.”

“What?”

“I hate hearing everyone… All the awful screaming, I hate it,” Jake explained quietly. “But you- your wails, Dwight, _god_ -” He moved closer suddenly. So suddenly that Dwight flinched on instinct. It took a moment for Dwight to realize that Jake had reached out to hug him. Had his arms wrapped around his chest and was squeezing. Hard. “It rips me apart.”

Dwight just stood there and could only blink for a few seconds. This was unusual for Jake. He was not overly emotional and getting the man to express emotions took time. All the sacrifices and trials must be getting to him lately.... “I hate hearing you in pain, too, you know,” Dwight admitted. “That’s why I kept doing it.”

“I know.”

“I’ll be more careful, okay?”

Jake nodded against him, but did not move further.

“But you have to be careful, too.”

“I will.”

Dwight waited another beat and then asked, “Are you ok-”

“No.” Jake still did not move.

Dwight just nodded at first. He finally reached his own arms up to wrap them around Jake in return. He was hesitant at first, but when he felt Jake tighten his grip even more, he relaxed. It was a little awkward, but it was clearly something Jake needed. They just stood there for a few moments. “Do-do you want to talk about this more?” Dwight eventually had to ask in a whisper.

“No,” Jake muttered, breath ghosting down Dwight’s neck. “I… I just want some time.” He sighed and this time it caused Dwight to shiver. “Some time to not hear any screaming.”

“Alright.” Dwight tilted his head a bit, allowing Jake to nose into his neck and just breath for a few more moments. “Do you want me to stay?”

“Can you stay?”

Dwight nodded once. “Of course.”

“Sit with me for a while,” it was supposed to be a question, but came out more like a demand.

It was one Dwight did not mind, so he just nodded again.

He startled a little when Jake finally started to move. He walked forward, pushing Dwight backwards. He was not quick or rough and Dwight walked backwards without tripping just fine. It took only a few steps for Dwight’s back to hit a tree anyways, causing him to startle again and gasp. Jake still did not release him, though. Instead, he pulled him down so they could sit. Dwight’s back was against the tree as they slid down. His shirt caught against the bark and untucked itself, but Dwight paid it no mind. He was more focused on Jake.

Jake was practically straddling Dwight when they reached the ground, but Dwight waited, only watching Jake to see what he wanted to do. He did not stay poised over Dwight for long. Jake moved to sit to Dwight’s left. He grabbed behind Dwight’s knees gently and looked at the other, waiting. Dwight nodded, still perfectly okay with whatever Jake wanted to do. Jake pulled Dwight’s legs across his own and pulled Dwight into his lap. He wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. Now, Jake was against the tree with Dwight seated in his lap and leaning against him completely.

Jake leaned in close, sighing again. “Good?”

“Good,” Dwight assured him. His left arm would surely fall asleep pressed against Jake like this. His right arm, though, he moved it to rest against Jake’s left one so he could absentmindedly rub soothing circles into his forearm. It did not last long, though, because Jake moved his left arm to wrap it around Dwight’s middle. Shirt still untucked, Jake’s hand went straight to Dwight’s bare back and he arched his back and gasped in response.

Jake furrowed his brow in confusion before pulling his hand back to smooth the shirt down. “Sorry,” he mumbled in embarrassment.

“It’s fine, you’re fine,” Dwight hurriedly assured him again. “Just surprised me is all. Do whatever you like.” He held Jake’s arm in place before the other could pull away. He quickly relaxed in Jake’s hold again, encouraging Jake to do the same.

Jake nodded and relaxed again. His hand quickly returned to started to rub Dwight’s back. Dwight sighed and leaned his head against Jake’s shoulder, content.

And they sat together in silence, comfortable and safe for the moment, which was fine with Jake for now. So as long as Dwight was not screaming in pain and agony, Jake was fine. And Jake loved the comfortable quiet.


End file.
